So you may have heard that the “A” Team (Michelle Brown (ATLien) and Joi Pearson) hit up New Orleans, Louisiana this year for the 2011 Essence Music Festival.

The trip itself became somewhat of a ritual for my girlfriends and I about 4 years ago but last year I decided that since I was going anyway, I would cover Essence for StraightFromTheA.

Some of my highest trafficked blogs were spawned from incidents that occurred during that hot & sweaty weekend….

Monica Kicks off 2010 Essence Festival
WTF?!? A Moment of Silence for that Pole…
Tyler Perry’s Response to “Boondocks” Spoof… [VIDEO]
5 Things I Learned in the Belvedere Lounge…

Well I promise you this year wasn’t any different!  So while I get my wits about me, check out my collection of “on the scene” photos that were posted on my personal site [IamATLien.com]. Each and every photo has a story….

Tami Roman (Basketball Wives) & ATLien

Tami is cool as hell and I love her to death. I spotted her backstage with her fellow “basketball wives” Evelyn Lozado and Shaunie Oneal.  Joi and I complimented Evelyn on footwork and as we were getting our lil photo ops in with Tami, Shaunie pops out of the curtain behind us as she was just completing an interview.

As I was posting for the photo above, my supersonic ears overheard a reporter telling Shaunie ‘that’s that girl who runs that blog out of Atlanta’, to which Shaunie rolled her eyes and gave a lil smirk.

That being said, we got pics of Tami and Evelyn’s shoes and then we rolled out just like Shaunie’s eyes….

Peter Thomas is my fave! I’ve said it a gazillion times, I know. But when he spotted me at the bar, it was hilarious. Peter came up like, ‘what you say bout me?’ in his cute Jamaican accent and I immediately thought about his Mugshot Mania post but he just laughed and gave me a hug.

Cynthia Bailey was standing a few feet away chatting with Boris Kodjoe. When she turned to speak, Boris exited stage left.  Last year, Boris wouldn’t speak to me because he was salty about THIS POST where that chick from the 1st season of Basketball Wives sent me photos claiming to have sexed him up. I posted his response to the rumors, but apparently that wasn’t enough. It was at last year’s festival that Boris made a point of telling anyone who would listen that he and his wife were A-OK… (watch video) and I believe him.

Me and Jawn Murray (formerly of The Tom Joyner Morning Show)

Jawn put my site on the map 3 years ago, when Tameka Foster Glover Raymond threatened to kill me sent me all those crazy emails. Jawn was so supportive during that time and even mentioned me on the Tom Joyner morning show (click HERE if you missed it). I can remember being so stoked about it! I’ve loved him every since….

Eric Benet was one of the many celebs casually chilling in the Belvedere lounge. I don’t have a funny story to tell about him… except for the fact that those eyes can see through to your soul! Someone even devoted an entire blog to Benet’s classic stare….

ATLien, KodakBoi & Joi

Gettin my “mean mug” on….

Derek J’s footwork…. had to get him quick cause NeNe wouldn’t let him speak with me (especially after I spotted she & her hubby Greg together).

Greg & NeNe Leakes…

“Rumors of their demise have been greatly exaggerated… “

MC Lyte’s WTF moment at the door of the Superdome…

(Sidebar: I had no idea she was so tiny!)

Isaiah Washington’s WTF moment at the door of the Superdome…

(It’s cool to see that some people understand my sense of humor…)

I spotted Johnny Gill on the ground as we were walking back to the hotel room after being put out of a cab…

TwanaTells ~ ATLien ~ KodakBoi ~ JoiPearson

EntrepreNeGros.

Me and Kenny “Touch YoSelf” Burns at the White Party…

All White Everything…

Joi and I after we ate ourselves to death at Drago’s in New Orleans…

(shout out to the manager (Hiwit) for taking such great care of us!)

Joi and I preparing to celebrate her B-Day on our final night in NO! I don’t recall much of what happened next, besides THIS.

A gazzilion Essence concert goers…

Again… these were just a random sampling of photos ganked from my phone. The good ones will be posted soon, I promise!  In the meantime, check out these cool videos snippets from the show:

New Edition (If It Isn’t Love)

Bobby Brown (Singing Solo)

Mary J. Blige (Not Gone Cry)

MORE COMING SOON!

Did you attend this year’s festivities in New Orleans? If so, what was your experience like?